On the 25th of March, 2022, the Municipal AIDS Committee in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development embarked on a sensitization to create public awareness that HIV/AIDS is still in the system with high prevalence from the previous year which the public should be concerned.
Participants included Resource Persons from the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, a section of Assembly staff, members of the committee, parents and youth within the Kukurantumi community. The Resource Persons educated participants on Reproductive Health issues, HIV/AIDS, and its related impact on the individual, family, community and the country at large.
Addressing the participants, Madam Christiana Adzaklu Kwakyewaa of the Social Welfare Department mentioned that ‘Teenage’ is the transitional phase of sexual and psychosocial growth which requires special attention and education to help teenagers or adolescents understand and embrace the new changes they are experiencing in the right way.
According to her, Negative peer pressure, single parenting, poverty, watching of pornographic materials amongst others are some of the causes of teenage pregnancy resulting in the girl-child dropping out of school and affecting her physical and mental health. She emphasized that practicing abstinence before marriage is paramount.
On her part, Mrs. Rachel Bempong, the Head of Girl Child Education of the Ghana Education Service mentioned that low class performance, social isolation, reduction in educational attainment are some of the impacts of teenage pregnancy on education.
Also Madam Cecilia Okorley, Public Health Nurse, added that HIV/AIDS is on the rise within the municipality and the nation at large and therefore cautioned all against indiscriminate sexual behavior.
The Focal Person on the Municipal AIDS Committee, Mamatta Alhasan Abdulai, addressing the participants indicated that testing to know your status is free, medication is also free and that pregnant and positive mothers are put on Anti-Retroviral medication to Prevent Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of the virus. She concluded and urged all to get tested at any of the Public Health Centers and to avoid stigmatizing People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV).
Presentation by Madam Christiana of the social welfare department Presentation by the Head of Girl Child Education, Mrs. Rachel Bempong
Presentation by Madam Cecilia, a Public Health Nurse Madam Mamatta Alhassan the HIV/AIDS Rep. of the Assembly sitting in the midst participants